Community engagement

Participate in health care planning

The Community Engagement team at VCH works across our health region and all sectors of care (community, acute and residential), supporting and facilitating dialogue between VCH and its communities.

Why do we engage communities?

To develop and enhance patient and public participation in health service planning and decision-making, so that members of the public have a ‘voice’ in the services and policies that affect their lives.To raise awareness about community issues and concerns that may not otherwise be apparent.

How do we engage communities?

We engage communities to get their feedback on health care needs in a number of ways including:

1. Community Engagement Advisory Network (CEAN)

The Community Engagement Advisory Network (CEAN) is a group of members of the public who support patient and public involvement in health service planning and decision-making at Vancouver Coastal Health.

CEAN members sit on advisory committees which are held across the health authority and give members of the community an opportunity to share their experience and knowledge about the community’s health care needs.
View our CEAN Members Handbook, a tool we created with the help of CEANs as a resource to people working in an advisory capacity with VCH.

3. Patient and Public consultations

These consultations give VCH input on a range of policies and services. We engage with our patients and families as well as with community groups to design services that address the unique factors affecting health in our communities.
Read some of our reports from past projects.

4. Community partnerships

We provide community groups with the tools they need to be part of the health care decision-making process in their communities.

5. Capacity building

We provide VCH staff with the tools they need to engage with patients and families so they can provide input about their health care needs.